The North African Novel in English: What Is It? How Is It?

Arabophone and Francophone literatures have dominated the region of North Africa for decades, but now a third one is emerging—the Anglophone one. 

Important yet often ignored development has occurred in the literary sphere of the African continent—North African writers author books in English now. They exist. They are read. They are celebrated. Arabophone and Francophone literatures have dominated the region of North Africa for decades, but now another one is sprouting—slowly and sporadically. But still—it is sprouting. And it attempts to squeeze a position not only among the literatures of the region but also the continent. It is a literature originally written in English, not in Arabic, not in French. So, who are its pioneers? Why are they considered important writers? What do they write about? Do they identify as African writers?

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